The present invention relates to electrical power panels and more particularly to a telescoping power panel that includes an upper panel assembly, a lower panel assembly, and two securing bolt assemblies for securing the upper panel assembly in a fixed relationship to the lower panel assembly; the lower panel assembly including a lower box structure and a lower telescoping assembly; the lower box structure having a lower vertical back panel section, lower left and right vertical panel sections integrally formed, respectively, along opposed left and right side edges of the lower vertical back panel section, and a lower horizontal panel section integrally formed with the lower vertical back panel section along a lower side edge and having left and right lower horizontal panel section end edges secured, respectively, at right angles to the lower left and right vertical panel sections; the lower horizontal panel section having a number of cable passage punch out plugs provided therein positioned within a like number of cable passageways provided therethrough; the lower telescoping assembly including a left insertion plate having a pair of elongated parallel bolt passage slots formed therethrough, a right insertion plate having a pair of elongated parallel bolt passage slots formed therethrough and a back insertion plate; the left insertion plate being integrally formed with a top end surface of the lower left vertical panel section and extending away from the lower horizontal panel section at a right angle; the right insertion plate being integrally formed with a top end surface of the lower right vertical panel section and extending away from the lower horizontal panel section at a right angle and in parallel orientation with the left insertion plate; the back insertion plate being integrally formed with a top end surface of the lower vertical back panel section and extending away from the lower horizontal panel section, the left insertion plate and the right insertion plate at a right angle such that a first gap is provided between a left side of the back insertion plate and the left insertion plate and a second gap is provided between a right side of the back insertion plate and the right insertion plate; the upper panel assembly having an upper vertical back panel section, upper left and right vertical panel sections integrally formed, respectively, along opposed left and right side edges of the upper vertical back panel section, and an upper horizontal panel section integrally formed with the upper vertical back panel section along an upper side edge and having left and right upper horizontal panel section end edges secured, respectively, at right angles to the upper left and right vertical panel sections; the upper horizontal panel section having a number of cable passage punch out plugs provided therein positioned within a like number of cable passageways provided therethrough; the upper left vertical panel section having a left insertion plate receiving cavity formed therein sized to slidingly receive the left insertion plate therein and a pair of concentrically aligned opposed bolt passage holes formed therethrough and arranged such that when the left insertion plate is inserted into the left insertion plate receiving cavity the bolt passage holes are aligned with a section of the elongated parallel bolt passage slots of the left insertion plate; the upper right vertical panel section having a right insertion plate receiving cavity formed therein sized to slidingly receive the right insertion plate therein and a pair of concentrically aligned opposed bolt passage holes formed therethrough and arranged such that when the right insertion plate is inserted into the right insertion late receiving cavity the bolt passage holes are aligned with a section of the elongated parallel bolt passage slots of the right insertion plate; the upper vertical back panel section having a back insertion plate receiving cavity formed therein sized to slidingly receive the back insertion plate therein; the left insertion plate receiving cavity, the right insertion plate receiving cavity, and the back insertion plate receiving cavity being positioned with respect to each other such that the left insertion plate, the right insertion plate and the back insertion plate are, respectively, simultaneously insertable into the left insertion plate receiving cavity, the right insertion plate receiving cavity, and the back insertion plate receiving cavity, and positionable such that the distance between the lower horizontal panel section and the upper horizontal panel section is variable; each of the two securing bolt assemblies including a bolt, a washer and a wing nut.
It can often be difficult to install wiring and the like into a standard power panel because the opening into the wall is cut to the same dimensions as the power panel. It would be a benefit, therefore, to have a power panel that could be collapsed during installation of wires, cables and the like and then expanded to completely fill the opening cut into the wall for receiving the power panel.
It is thus an object of the invention to provide a telescoping power panel that includes an upper panel assembly, a lower panel assembly, and two securing bolt assemblies for securing the upper panel assembly in a fixed relationship to the lower panel assembly; the lower panel assembly including a lower box structure and a lower telescoping assembly; the lower box structure having a lower vertical back panel section, lower left and right vertical panel sections integrally formed, respectively, along opposed left and right side edges of the lower vertical back panel section, and a lower horizontal panel section integrally formed with the lower vertical back panel section along a lower side edge and having left and right lower horizontal panel section end edges secured, respectively, at right angles to the lower left and right vertical panel sections; the lower horizontal panel section having a number of cable passage punch out plugs provided therein positioned within a like number of cable passageways provided therethrough; the lower telescoping assembly including a left insertion plate having a pair of elongated parallel bolt passage slots formed therethrough, a right insertion plate having a pair of elongated parallel bolt passage slots formed therethrough and a back insertion plate; the left insertion plate being integrally formed with a top end surface of the lower left vertical panel section and extending away from the lower horizontal panel section at a right angle; the right insertion plate being integrally formed with a top end surface of the lower right vertical panel section and extending away from the lower horizontal panel section at a right angle and in parallel orientation with the left insertion plate; the back insertion plate being integrally formed with a top end surface of the lower vertical back panel section and extending away from the lower horizontal panel section, the left insertion plate and the right insertion plate at a right angle such that a first gap is provided between a left side of the back insertion plate and the left insertion plate and a second gap is provided between a right side of the back insertion plate and the right insertion plate; the upper panel assembly having an upper vertical back panel section, upper left and right vertical panel sections integrally formed, respectively, along opposed left and right side edges of the upper vertical back panel section, and an upper horizontal panel section integrally formed with the upper vertical back panel section along an upper side edge and having left and right upper horizontal panel section end edges secured, respectively, at right angles to the upper left and right vertical panel sections; the upper horizontal panel section having a number of cable passage punch out plugs provided therein positioned within a like number of cable passageways provided therethrough; the upper left vertical panel section having a left insertion plate receiving cavity formed therein sized to slidingly receive the left insertion plate therein and a pair of concentrically aligned opposed bolt passage holes formed therethrough and arranged such that when the left insertion plate is inserted into the left insertion plate receiving cavity the bolt passage holes are aligned with a section of the elongated parallel bolt passage slots of the left insertion plate; the upper right vertical panel section having a right insertion plate receiving cavity formed therein sized to slidingly receive the right insertion plate therein and a pair of concentrically aligned opposed bolt passage holes formed therethrough and arranged such that when the right insertion plate is inserted into the right insertion late receiving cavity the bolt passage holes are aligned with a section of the elongated parallel bolt passage slots of the right insertion plate; the upper vertical back panel section having a back insertion plate receiving cavity formed therein sized to slidingly receive the back insertion plate therein; the left insertion plate receiving cavity, the right insertion plate receiving cavity, and the back insertion plate receiving cavity being positioned with respect to each other such that the left insertion plate, the right insertion plate and the back insertion plate are, respectively, simultaneously insertable into the left insertion plate receiving cavity, the right insertion plate receiving cavity, and the back insertion plate receiving cavity, and positionable such that the distance between the lower horizontal panel section and the upper horizontal panel section is variable; each of the two securing bolt assemblies including a bolt, a washer and a wing nut.
Accordingly, a telescoping power panel is provided. The telescoping power panel includes an upper panel assembly, a lower panel assembly, and two securing bolt assemblies for securing the upper panel assembly in a fixed relationship to the lower panel assembly; the lower panel assembly including a lower box structure and a lower telescoping assembly; the lower box structure having a lower vertical back panel section, lower left and right vertical panel sections integrally formed, respectively, along opposed left and right side edges of the lower vertical back panel section, and a lower horizontal panel section integrally formed with the lower vertical back panel section along a lower side edge and having left and right lower horizontal panel section end edges secured, respectively, at right angles to the lower left and right vertical panel sections; the lower horizontal panel section having a number of cable passage punch out plugs provided therein positioned within a like number of cable passageways provided therethrough; the lower telescoping assembly including a left insertion plate having a pair of elongated parallel bolt passage slots formed therethrough, a right insertion plate having a pair of elongated parallel bolt passage slots formed therethrough and a back insertion plate; the left insertion plate being integrally formed with a top end surface of the lower left vertical panel section and extending away from the lower horizontal panel section at a right angle; the right insertion plate being integrally formed with a top end surface of the lower right vertical panel section and extending away from the lower horizontal panel section at a right angle and in parallel orientation with the left insertion plate; the back insertion plate being integrally formed with a top end surface of the lower vertical back panel section and extending away from the lower horizontal panel section, the left insertion plate and the right insertion plate at a right angle such that a first gap is provided between a left side of the back insertion plate and the left insertion plate and a second gap is provided between a right side of the back insertion plate and the right insertion plate; the upper panel assembly having an upper vertical back panel section, upper left and right vertical panel sections integrally formed, respectively, along opposed left and right side edges of the upper vertical back panel section, and an upper horizontal panel section integrally formed with the upper vertical back panel section along an upper side edge and having left and right upper horizontal panel section end edges secured, respectively, at right angles to the upper left and right vertical panel sections; the upper horizontal panel section having a number of cable passage punch out plugs provided therein positioned within a like number of cable passageways provided therethrough; the upper left vertical panel section having a left insertion plate receiving cavity formed therein sized to slidingly receive the left insertion plate therein and a pair of concentrically aligned opposed bolt passage holes formed therethrough and arranged such that when the left insertion plate is inserted into the left insertion plate receiving cavity the bolt passage holes are aligned with a section of the elongated parallel bolt passage slots of the left insertion plate; the upper right vertical panel section having a right insertion plate receiving cavity formed therein sized to slidingly receive the right insertion plate therein and a pair of concentrically aligned opposed bolt passage holes formed therethrough and arranged such that when the right insertion plate is inserted into the right insertion late receiving cavity the bolt passage holes are aligned with a section of the elongated parallel bolt passage slots of the right insertion plate; the upper vertical back panel section having a back insertion plate receiving cavity formed therein sized to slidingly receive the back insertion plate therein; the left insertion plate receiving cavity, the right insertion plate receiving cavity, and the back insertion plate receiving cavity being positioned with respect to each other such that the left insertion plate, the right insertion plate and the back insertion plate are, respectively, simultaneously insertable into the left insertion plate receiving cavity, the right insertion plate receiving cavity, and the back insertion plate receiving cavity, and positionable such that the distance between the lower horizontal panel section and the upper horizontal panel section is variable; each of the two securing bolt assemblies including a bolt, a washer and a wing nut.